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Editor's Note: National Centenarian's Day was Sept. 22. The day honors those who've celebrated 100 birthdays or more. We're publishing several profiles of people who have hit this milestone this fall. The Alaska Commission on Aging is working with the Governor's Office, Pioneer Homes and Long Term Care Ombudsman to celebrate Alaska's centenarians. This interview was made possible thanks to the Alaska Commission on Aging. Genevieve Armstrong, known as Jean, has lived long enough to see airplanes...
Dear editor, I look forward to getting my copy of the Senior Voice every month. There is so much information in each copy. I have saved them for some time. I always look for Maraley McMichael’s columns first so imagine my delight in seeing her on the cover of the October issue I received today! Thank you. Mona Painter Dear editor, The Matanuska-Susitna Valley is a place of natural beauty; lakes, rivers, and streams have long been at the heart of our community’s way of life. As our population grows and ages, and with new senior housing bei...
We misstated the name of OLÉ in the September issue. The education-oriented non-profit is Opportunities for Lifelong Education....
Senior Voice Alaska earned second place in general excellence in the North American Mature Publishers Association annual contest among publications with circulations of 25,000 or less. The judge wrote, “Wonderful range of well-written articles and topics. This engaging publication does a great job of appealing to a wide-range of interests, and serving the Alaskan population specifically. Attractive, smart, and heart-warming.” We earned first place in the “senior issues” category, for columns from Karen Casanovas, first place for editori...
Q: As staff members in assisted living, we must once again adjust our menus with the understanding how challenging this can be for both us and the older adults we care for. Despite having a printed schedule, any changes can be confusing for residents. What strategies can we implement to ease this transition and support them during this time? A: As a coach with deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by older adults in assisted living facilities, menu updates are best addressed with...
This is about a political figure, but it is not about politics. As you no doubt know, not too long ago a politically influential young man was gunned down at a public event. I won't say who because this isn’t really about him, but let's just say I've had a lot of people since then ask if we're related (we're not). But this is about his widow. Her husband was unexpectedly killed, leaving two very young children. A few days later, there was a public funeral service, and she made a moving s...
One intrepid postman set out from Nome in November 1905 with his team of dogs, led by a wolf, on a 15-month odyssey that would test his resolve and capture the public's imagination. Eli Smith, a seasoned mail carrier from Nome, embarked on an epic 8,000-mile trek to Washington D.C., all to settle a high-stakes wager. Born around 1855 in Wisconsin, Smith led a life of adventure long before his famous mushing expedition that would test the limits of human and canine endurance. He worked various...
People affected by Typhoon Halong have until Nov. 7 to apply for SNAP replacement benefits. The Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance (DPA) has a small FAQ section on their SNAP page that addresses whether SNAP benefits will be issued in November, due to the federal government shutdown, and explains some of the DPA’s options. Updates on this issue will be posted on that page, as well as on DPA social media. The same page also has information on assistance for those in Western AK affected by Typhoon Halong, for both SNAP r...
The Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame induced 10 women into its ranks Oct. 21. The women honored are Judith “Judy” Caminer, who helped form the Chugach Park Fund; Joaqlin Estus, a pioneering journalist who was a national correspondent for Indian Country Today and news director at KNBA; Katherine Gottlieb, who served 30 years as president and CEO of Southcentral Foundation; Ada (Deluktuk) Blackjack Johnson, a posthumous recipient who was an Arctic explorer who went on an expedition to Wrangell Island in the Arctic Ocean; Lisa Parker, who is presi...
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced in late October that Social Security benefits, including old-age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI), and supplemental security income (SSI) payments for 75 million Americans will increase 2.8% in 2026. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month starting in January. Over the last decade the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase has averaged about 3.1%. The COLA was 2.5% in 2025. Nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a...
I bought my first computer in the late 1980s. I paid $1,200 for a used Kaypro. It was the size of a sewing machine carrying case, had sturdy all-steel housing, and it weighed 26 pounds. The manufacturer didn't have the nerve to call it "portable." We proud Kaypro owners called it "luggable." I sidled up to the evolving technologies over the decades because, as a practical matter, I thought they could help me be a better educator and communicator. And now: artificial intelligence (AI). Yes, it is...
AARP survey data reveals that 86% of service members and veterans have faced at least one service-related scam in the past year. These thieves specifically target veterans, with losses amounting to $477 million in 2023, according to the latest Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data. AARP's report, "Scambush: Military Veterans Battle Surprise Attacks from Scams and Fraud," highlights the top scams facing the veteran and military community. Often, veterans are targeted by scammers who exploit their...
One of the deadliest dangers in Alaskan winters is invisible, odorless, and silent. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that kills people each year. For people with compromised respiratory systems or cardiac history, this invisible threat is especially dangerous. Carbon monoxide comes from things that burn fuel in your home. Your furnace, water heater, fireplace, and gas stove all make this deadly gas. Internal combustion vehicles and generators also produce it. When these items work properly...
The University of Alaska Fairbanks has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health for $3.26 million for a research project to address coronary heart disease among Yup'ik Alaska Native people in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region. The project focuses on blending an elder-designed program based on ancestral principles with workshops on traditional foodways-a break from conventional hearth health interventions. The tribally driven project, "Neqpiaput Iinruugut (Our Food is Medicine),"...
Alaskan Way is a new nonprofit based in Anchorage with a focus on serving elderly and medically fragile individuals who are unable to meet their Activities of Daily Living (ADL) needs-a population often overlooked in traditional shelter and housing systems. Started by Theresa Hankins, the nonprofit is in the funding stage so that it can open its doors. The nonprofit's website has more information, but it's centered on providing 24/7 staff support, personal care assistance, case management...
A single course of low-dose radiation therapy may provide a safe and effective alternative treatment option for people with painful knee osteoarthritis, according to a new randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The study showed patients with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis reported significant reductions in pain and improved physical function in the four months after receiving the low dose of radiation (just a small fraction of what’s used to treat cancer). The study included a c...
Note: I am departing from the travel column to share with readers what I have observed in the decades caring for seniors and observing their good and bad habits. When I was 15 1/2 years old, I worked as a nurse's aide at Lowell General Hospital in Massachusetts. No candy striper gig, I saw and did what no girl my age should working in medical-surgical, newborn nursery, operating room, psych ward, and emergency room, often questioning "Are you sure I'm supposed to do this?" Off and on in my...
My husband Gary and I were snowbirds back in 2009. Having left our kids' families in Colorado, we headed to Texas by way of Branson, Missouri. We found a nice RV park in Carthage to park our truck and travel trailer, which was only 15 miles from LaRussell, the small-town home of one of my dad's good friends, Jim Brock. I wanted to go to Jim's house to visit and give him a program from Dad's memorial service, rather than enclose it in our Christmas card to him. Jim and Dad worked together at...
The Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame induced 10 women into its ranks Oct. 21. The women honored are Judith “Judy” Caminer, who helped form the Chugach Park Fund; Joaqlin Estus, a pioneering journalist who was a national correspondent for Indian Country Today and news director at KNBA; Katherine Gottlieb, who served 30 years as president and CEO of Southcentral Foundation; Ada (Deluktuk) Blackjack Johnson, a posthumous recipient who was an Arctic explorer who went on an expedition to Wrangell Island in the Arctic Ocean; Lisa Parker, who is presi...
The Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association (AMIPA) and Doyon Foundation will co-present a fundraiser screening of “Spirit of the Wind” a 1979 film about George Attla. The event is in recognition of November as Alaska Native/American Indian Heritage Month. Shot on location in Fairbanks, the film follows Attla from his life as a young Athabascan trapper in rural Alaska, to a tuberculosis diagnosis that meant years in sanitoriums in Tanana and Sitka and how he goes on to become a champion sprint dog musher. The film will be screened at 4 p...
The motto of the Salvation Army, "Sharing is Caring," applies well to the Salvation Army Family Store in Fairbanks. On a recent fall day, along with the first snow of the season, three MASST participants gathered with Capt. Jon Tollerud, store manager Penny Turnbull, and three other volunteers. The crew was reorganizing the entire thrift store, closed for the week, for a grand reopening in October. It was clear that they had already done loads of work over the past weeks and months. Winter was...
Despite its name, the 17-mile Sacramento River Trail isn't tied to California's state capital but to a section of the 400-mile river that winds through Redding. However, don't panic. If your knees are protesting at the thought of attempting this long trek, you can still enjoy the popular path's highlights via a much shorter walk & drive combo that includes stops at three amazing bridges that span the Sacramento River. Begin the adventure at the South Trailhead, located by the parking lot off...
Q. My home PC runs on Windows 10. Now that Microsoft is no longer supporting it, what are my options? A. If you are still using Windows 10, it is like your car’s low fuel warning just flickered on. You can keep going, but you will need to pull over eventually. Windows 10 debuted in 2015, and after 10 years, Microsoft has formally ended active support for Windows 10. Here are a few consequences that you should know about: Windows 10 computers will continue to function as before. You can purchase another year of security updates from the link i...
As Alaska’s population of working-age adults shrinks, according to economists, other demographic groups have become bigger segments of the labor force: seniors and teenagers. Residents who are 65 and older made up 6.2% of the Alaska worker population in 2023 after steadily increasing over two decades, according to an analysis by the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development. In 2003, that age group made up just 1.8% of all working Alaskans, according to the data. For teenagers, the t...
My Alaska family is small. It's just my husband, my daughter and me and an equal number of furry creatures in our household. Sometimes we eat with friends, but our celebration is usually a low-key affair. Oh, I'd like to have two dozen people over and make a big fuss. But large or small, Thanksgiving is still my favorite. Of all our holidays, it invites you to reflect on what really matters. And it does so at the start of a season that can feel vapid in its naked consumerism. I'm lucky. Or some...
